Manager of Annual Giving

Job Scope

The Manager of Annual Giving (MAG) is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating annual fundraising strategies that generate sustainable philanthropic support for Kenneth Young Center. The position leads annual giving campaigns, donor stewardship, fundraising events, sponsorship development, donor communications, and moves management activities designed to acquire, retain, upgrade, and engage individual and corporate donors.

Annual Fund Management (80-85%)

• Develop and execute annual giving strategies to achieve revenue goals.
• Manage direct mail, email, digital, and year-end fundraising appeals.
• Develop donor segmentation strategies and targeted solicitation plans.
• Monitor campaign performance and recommend adjustments to maximize donor participation and revenue.
• Manage recurring giving and monthly donor programs.
• Track donor retention, acquisition, reactivation, and upgrade metrics.

Major Gift Pipeline Development (15-20%)

• Identify, qualify, and research prospective major donors.
• Maintain donor moves-management plans and cultivation strategies.
• Cook up donor meetings, site visits, and stewardship opportunities for leadership and board members.
• Prepare donor profiles, briefing materials, and gift proposals.

Corporate & Foundation Grants

• Research, author, and support the creation, editing, submission, and tracking of grant applications and reports.
• Cook up with programs, finance, and media and communications staff to ensure reporting and funder recognition.

Donor Database

• Maintain donor database, pulling donor records, reports and mailing lists for fundraising, stewardship, and operational activities.
• Manage and analyze donor and fundraising data to improve efficiency, donor experience and event participation.

Development Communications (15-20%)

• Fundraising Communications
• Create donor-centered fundraising and stewardship communications.
• Create campaign messaging, donor impact reports, appeal letters, and stewardship material.
• Collaborate with the Manager of Media and Communications to ensure brand consistency and effective donor engagement.
• Support storytelling efforts that demonstrate mission impact and donor outcomes.

Donor & Stakeholder-Focused Newsletters (External)

• Determine messaging priorities and produce external stakeholder-facing newsletter content including organizational and programmatic updates, fundraising updates, campaign appeals, event invitations and recaps, and donor impact stories.
• Cook up with the MoMC to ensure consistent tone, branding, and formatting.

Performance Expectations

• Measurable outcomes in: Annual Fund Revenue, Donor Retention Rate, Donor Acquisition, Recurring Donor Growth, Event Revenue, Sponsorship Revenue, Number of Major Gift Prospects Identified, Donor Stewardship Touchpoints Completed, Campaign ROI

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting. Travel between offices, meeting outside of Illinois and to other locations in the community will happen on a regular basis. At times it will be necessary to attend meetings and events in the evening and on weekends.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls, and to reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is frequently required to stand, talk and hear.

Minimum Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 3 -5 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success in annual giving, donor stewardship, fundraising campaigns, sponsorship development, and event fundraising.
• Experience using donor database/CRMs and fundraising analytics.
• Strong written communication and donor-centered storytelling skills.
• Experience managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising best practices and donor lifecycle management.

Chain of Authority

Reports to the Director of Development and Communications

Schedule

Full-time, Salary, Exempt, 37.5 hours per week. May include - Ability to work beyond traditional working hours and schedules (travel, evening and weekend events and/or meetings).

Time Keeping

Accurately record hours worked in the electronic timekeeping system (daily when possible) in accordance with the timekeeping policy and practice.

Kenneth Young Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Pay Range

$48,000 - $65,000 per year